


Away From Home

by giraffeduelist



Category: Coraline (2009), 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Coraline AU, Gen, Not Beta Read, minor horror themes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:14:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 20,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22350913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/giraffeduelist/pseuds/giraffeduelist
Summary: Izuku Midoriya moves to a pink house in the most boring town in all of the world. Right when he thinks it couldn't get worse, he finds a little door...(AKA, Coraline AU for BNHA)
Relationships: Midoriya Inko/Yagi Toshinori | All Might
Comments: 5
Kudos: 45





	1. Moving In

The drive to Izuku's new home was dull and colorless.

The frees were dead and barren but the leaves were too soft to crunch when he stepped on them. There were a few houses nearby, but the yard was far larger than the last place he'd lived. There was a thin forest near by as well, but it held no adventure. The lack of vegetation made it easy to see the small brown house on the other side.

As Izuku walked into the pink house that he was now expected to call his home, he started looking at the labels on each box or his name. He hadn't packed much, just his clothes, bedding, stuffed animals and any other object he had deemed important enough to not throw away.

Finding one small box with his name written on top in bold letters, the teen picked it up and began wandering the walls of the large house with it. He still had yet to explore the lay out and choose a room.

It was a big house, bigger than the small apartment they had stayed in before. When his parents had first went to him, saying they were moving to a bigger house, he immediately told them that he didn't want to leave. He had friends back in Musutafu. He had Ururaka and Iida. He didn't want to leave them. Not when it took so very long to find friends. It was like a curse.

In the end, Izuku had no choice in the matter. They moved a full week later, bringing him to where he was now, wondering an old pink house. Setting the box down, Izuku walked into a closet and explored the webs and dust lacing everything. There was a box of old pictures that didn't belong to them. He looked through the frames, cringing at the sad blue boy who had dropped his ice cream in one. All of them were sad and dull, like the rest of this place. Izuku picked up his box and continued to explore.

There was a staircase up, that lead to the bedrooms and bathrooms. Izuku walked into the master bedroom, shivering from the cold. Where had be put his rain jacket? There was a small bathroom connected to the bedroom. There was an old dresser where the bed was supposed to go, dust completely covering it. The green haired boy walked over to it, his box now being placed to the side of the dresser.

The first drawer was full of keys. Big keys, small keys, white, gold, black keys. One black key had a button design and Izuku mindlessly wondered where it led to. He would have to collect all of them to find out the answer. The other drawers were empty.

As Izuku went to collect his single box, he saw black smudges and dust on his hands. "How did that happen?" He tried turning them off on his pants but that only made his pants dusty. With a sign, he walked into the bathroom and turned on the sink to wash the marks off.

The pipes clicked and clacked as the water came through the piped and when the water finally came through, it was brown and muddy. "Ew!" Izuku withdrew his hands and turned off the sink. Clumps of wet soil were left in the sink afterward. He could live with some black marks.

Gathering up his box, Izuku walked into the next bedroom over. This room was smaller. There were already a few shelves on the walls and he hoped none held any dead bugs. Setting the box down, he pulled out his old pocket knife and cut the tape away. Inside was his yellow raincoat, a pair of boots and his notebooks. He'd have to wait to set up his room until he found the rest of his things.

He pulled on his boots and rain jacket before heading back out to explore. He thumped down the stairs and greeted his mother who was in the kitchen. She was organizing the kitchen in the way she liked, putting a few knives into the drawers.

"The water's all muddy." Izuku stated absently as he looked through the boxes piled high on the table.

"Uh huh." His mother ignored him. She must be focused. The kitchen was one of the reasons they had chosen this particular house after all. It was larger than the kitchen in their apartment and it had both an oven and a stove, something they didn't have back in their apartment. It's difficult to cook lasagna in the microwave.

"Did Dad find somewhere to write?" He asked again, not really expecting an answer but he was too bored to not say anything.

His mother let out a sigh, setting down some pots and turning toward him. She was obviously tired, if the messy ponytail said anything, but she smiled at him all the same. His parents were the worst when it came to fake smiles. "Izuku, who don't you go find him? I'm sure he could use your help finding his boxes."

So she was trying to shove Izuku's questions onto Dad. Nice. "Can I go outside?" He asked instead of leaving. His father would likely shoo him off as well.

"I don't want mud being tracked all over the house, Izuku. Maybe you could explore the house, find something to write your questions down on." She turned back around and started to organize again. "But see if your father needs help first. You can't expect us to do all the unpacking."

"Fine." Izuku slumped and wandered the halls. He followed the sound of his father's computer keyboard clicking loudly, eventually making his way into a small study with a wide open window. That might help his father get some color back into his skin. "Dad, can I go outside?" It was easier to ask forgiveness than permission sometimes.

"Oh! Izuku!" His father turned around in his classic rolling chair and smiled, showing his perfectly white teeth. His blonde bangs swayed with his body and his long limbs dwarfed the chair he sat in. His pants were too short, exposing the blond hairs on his legs and his back slumped in a way that somehow made him look taller than when he stood to his full height.

"What do you need, my boy?"

Izuku asked again because his father obviously hadn't heard the first time. "Can I go outside?" He hoped that his father wouldn't shoo him away as well. He didn't hate many things but being bored was one of the worst.

"Outside? Isn't it muddy? Your mother wouldn't like getting our new house all messy so soon." HIs father's gaunt face turned into a half confused and concerned expression. His mother always said Izuku got his expressions from his father.

"I have rain boots." he tried, on the edge of desperate.

"Rain boots don't keep the mud off, my boy" His father sat up straight, the 'stern father' face coming on. "Maybe you could try finding your boxes? I think I saw one around here somewhere…" He turned in his chair as if the box would magically float to him.

"Can't I just go out for a second? To scope the area?" Izuku had a shot at bending him as long as he didn't ask about his mother. Anything she said was rule. "Who knows what cool things could be hanging around our backyard!" He tried to appeal to his father's sense of adventure.

"Well...fine. As long as you get your unpacking done today and don't make a mess, okay?"

"Thanks!" Izuku yelled as he raced down the hall and out the front door. The air was stiff and the sky grey. His sense of adventure slowly being replaced with disappointment. Everything looked so dull outside too.

Picking up a stick from off a bush, Izuku started walking toward the forest. There was a trail through it, which took away even more adventure. Did no one here know what fun was?

As Izuku walked, he tapped the stick onto the floor, gathering leaves and twigs as he walked. He stopped at the sound of crunching footsteps that didn't match his own pace. He didn't turn around immediately, hoping it was just a squirrel. Did they have squirrels here?

Izuku jumped when a pale hand slammed onto his shoulder. Once turned around, he could see that the hand was connected to a boy around his age. His hair was both white and red, split right down the middle. He looked just as bored as Izuku felt just a minute ago. "Are you new here?' He asked with a just as bored tone.

"Uh, yeah. I am." Izuku mumbled, surprised to see anyone else around.

"You moved into the Pink Palace, right?" It sounded less like a question than a statement.

"I am. My parents wanted a place that could provide a better opportunity. You must be from that brown house over there. Or maybe you live below us. I saw a stairway going down to a lower apartment and I think I heard someone down there. Now that I think about it, maybe there's an apartment above us too. It would still make sense if you were from the brown house though. I haven't gone that far out, only saw it really-"

"You talk too much." The boy said. "I'm Todoroki, and yes, I live in the brown house." He extended his hand for a hand shake.

Izuku took it gladly. "Midoriya. Nice to meet you. I-"

The boy -Todoroki- let go and dug into his backpack, interrupting Izuku as he shoved a doll into his chest. "This is yours."

Izuku stared at it for a while before taking the doll from his hands. It looked like him. Identical to him. It had his unruly green hair, soft freckles, red nose, and yellow rain coat. It was cute. He really liked dolls like this one, old fashioned but in perfect condition. It felt like it was filled with rice, weighing comfortably in his hands. But it wasn't his. "It's cute but-"

There was a soft calling from the direction of the brown house and Todoroki perked up. "My mom needs me. Keep the doll. I'll see you again." Todoroki started running toward the house as if a monster was chasing him. What a weird guy.

Izuku stared at the doll as he walked back to the 'Pink Castle' or whatever Todoroki had called it. It didn't look like anything special. It was barely within the lines of 'nice'. The wallpaper peeled, the floors creaked, the white walls were more yellow then white and the dull look of the entire house did nothing to liven the area. Even Todoroki was dull, not smiling or even happy. He was already sick of it.

Neither of his parents noticed when he walked back into the house. They didn't notice him gathering his last boxes and unpacking them into his bedroom. They did notice him once the sun set, but it was only to feed him whatever sad groceries they had left. The house was more or less unpacked, beside a few boxes holding snow globes and some of Dad's books.

The bed creaked as he laid down to sleep. Izuku was so tired, but he couldn't quite fall asleep. Not yet. Not until he was sure that if he did, he'd wake up here too. He didn't want to wake up here.

Izuku stood up and picked up the doll he had carried with him through the day. He gave it a sad smile, sighed and laid back down. "What do you think, little me?" He whispered to it. "It's so boring here. Everything is faded and it's all so...sad. Musutafu was so lively. Everything was happening at once. I had friends. But this…" He held the doll closer. "Maybe tomorrow will be better."

Maybe it was just the fall season. In that case, he couldn't wait for summer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's my discord for more fun! https://discord.gg/dfju5m


	2. A New World

Izuku woke up seven times before he decided to get up. It was in the middle of the night, if not early morning, and the sun wasn't up yet. The house was colder than before and the blanket around his shoulders barely gave him enough warmth. His socks didn't keep the icy floors from making his toes numb.

His father had fallen asleep at his computer, job applications still needing to be finished. Izuku ignored the loud snoring and ventured to the small living room. He could imagine it warm, fireplace lit with glowing flames, his mother knitting them each new stockings as was their holiday tradition. His father would make them each a cup of delicious hot chocolate -the only thing he knew how to make besides cereal- and they would enjoy the company they gave each other.

The cold of the room swept the image away. He was back in the cold, dark room. Shivering, Izuku looked around the room, having nothing else to satisfy his awake mind. A faded red chair that Dad used when his back hurt too much to sit in his rolling work chair. He had remembered the chair being brighter in their old apartment. The couch was washed out too.

What Izuku hadn't noticed before was the small door. The wall paper covered it up, but he could still see it perfectly. Getting on his knees to properly inspect it, Izuku touched along the edges of the door. The key hole was still there. He could probably sneak past his sleeping mother to try out a few of the keys in that dresser.

Deciding to have a bit of an adventure, Izuku held his doll close, and walked back up the stairs toward his parents room. The door wasn't closed and he hoped the floor would treat him kindly for once and stop creaking. He walked on the tips of his toes and slowly crept through the room.

The journey to the drawer was successful. He slowly opened the compartment and looked at all of the keys. He could barely see them through the darkness, but moonlight coming through the window next to him was enough.

Izuku winced when they clicked together. He turned to his mother's sleeping form, waiting a few seconds before trying again. There was no quiet way to dig through a pile of keys, he found out quickly.

He felt for the big button key he had seen before. If any key was going to lead to a small door, it would be that one. Just in case, he brought a few others, not caring to risk his luck for any longer. Closing the compartment, Izuku headed back for the living room.

As he walked through the room, his foot pressed on a weak spot into the floor and make the loudest creaking noise he had ever heard from a floor. His mother slowly sat up, messy hair covering her face. "Toshi?" She slurred, likely still half asleep.

Trying to imitate his father's baritone voice, Izuku shushed her. "Go back to sleep, Inko." He sounded nothing like his father, but he hoped his mother's sleepy mind wouldn't notice the difference.

It seemed to work, because she nodded a few times and slowly laid back down. She covered herself and went back to sleep. Izuku didn't dare to let out his breath until he was outside of the room. That was a close one.

Rushing down to the living room, Izuku held both the doll and the key close to his chest. He guessed all of the amazing things that could lie on the other side of that door. A secret compartment? A safe? Maybe that was where the past house owners kept their valuable things, like old candies that were too old to detach from their wrappers or rocks in unique shapes. Maybe there were circus mice back there.

The green haired boy used the edge of the key to tear the wallpaper where the door frame was and where he would insert the key. He hesitated before sliding the key inside. What if this wasn't the right key? What if there wasn't a key to this door at all? What if-

The key slid all the way in, the large black button being the only thing left for him to turn it with. Slowly, Izuku turned the key and sighed with relief when he heard it click open. There was still worry on his mind. What if it was a brick wall? What if it was just cobwebs and rats? What if there was a spider so big, they had to build a door just to hide it away? In that case, he might want a knife to fight it off.

Izuku shook his head. If there really was anything dangerous on the other side, then he could easily just run to the kitchen. It wasn't a long trip and he was fast. He could defend himself.

Even slower now, Izuku pulled at the door. It got stuck on the wallpaper and he had to use more effort than he had originally thought. Just when Izuku thought the door might not open, it swung wide, knocking him back. He slowly got back onto his knees, rubbing at the sore spot on his head before looking at the open space the door had once took up.

He gasped audibly.

It was a tunnel. It looked like it was made of those pipes Dad had once used for their clogged water drain. It glowed bright colors of red and blue. After spending a full day in the dull colors of this cold house, the tunnel felt like seeing the sun after years of only grey skies.

When Izuku pressed his hand inside, it moved around him, making it a bit difficult to crawl through. It didn't stop him though. He dragged his doll all the way through the tunnel. His eyes were fixed on the door that opened on the opposite end. This tunnel led somewhere and he was going to find out.

Once at the end of the tunnel, Izuku stood up and looked around the room, expecting something magical like the tunnel, only to be met with the same room he had escaped from.

"What?" He was disappointed. "This can't be the same room. How is that...how could that happen." Izuku glared at the dull walls and faded chair until he noticed something definitely different. Well, several somethings.

The room wasn't faded, not really. The room looked barely painted and the chairs were full of life. It was lively and happy, not like the sad colors of the room he left.

The second something was the temperature. It was no longer unbearably cold. His once numb toes were now cozy. How had it warmed up so quickly? The fire wasn't lit.

The third something was the sounds. Someone was humming in the kitchen, making something by the sounds of it. It smelled like chocolate and it pulled him into the next room. Whatever his parents were making, he wanted a part of it. The lights in the kitchen were more yellow than he remembered.

As Izuku walked into the kitchen, he was surprised to find a very large man stirring a pot on the stove. He remembered this man, but only from pictured. This looked like his father from his college years, when he used to play football. He was the star player, up until he got a serious concussion and his couch kicked him from the team. He had gotten thinner since then, but Mom always said he was still just as attractive as he was back then.

"Oh, you're here." His father -or this version of him- sounded less weak, less nervous. He was confident and strong. The hulking man set down the spoon and turned toward Izuku, a wide smile present on his face.

Izuku yelped at the buttons that replaced his eyes. "You're not my dad!" True, his father couldn't build that much muscle overnight, but the eyes were like a wakeup call.

Dad only laughed at that. "Of course I'm not! At least not your real dad. I'm your other dad. I'm like the good version." he said, confidence rolling off of his bulging muscles like water. Izuku never thought his father could be confident.

"So...you're like an alternate dad?" Izuku spoke to himself more than the body builder at the stove like a housewife. Was that a "kiss the chef" apron? "What happened to your…" Izuku started, pointing to his eyes.

"Oh! You mean my buttons? Everyone around here has them! It's a gift from your mother." he beamed down at the nervous boy. A gift from his mother?

"Oh!" A sugar sweet voice rang from the living room. Hadn't he just been in there? "Is Izuku here?" His mother walked into the kitchen, smiling just as brightly as his other father was. "Perfect timing! I just finished cutting the bushes outside!" The plant cutters in her hands were proof to her statement. She too had large buttons instead of eyes.

Before Izuku knew it, he was getting dragged away by his other mother toward the back yard. He was about to ask for her to let go, demand some answers about this strange button eye place, but the sight of the garden made him stop.

The entire back yard glowed with greens, reds, blues and any other color he could think of. There were vines, shaking trees, flowers in the shape of hearts and flowers that waved as he walked by. "This is so beautiful!" He exclaimed. This was definitely a step up from the dead backyard he had back home.

"I just knew you'd like it." Her voice was almost too sweet, but he'd prefer this over her ignoring him. "Oh! And look at the forest!" She dragged him to another section of the yard, showing him the glowing forest that had been dead trees before. The sky was filled with sparkling yellow lights and large butterflies fluttered across his vision. The entire experience was enchanting. "This is all for you, my Izuku." She gave him a warm hug.

Izuku thought he might cry. She had made this, this beautiful garden, just for him? He hugged her back just as hard. "Thank you, mom!"

"Ah, you mean other mother, silly." She ruffled his hair in a way that gave him a wave of nostalgia. "Let's not keep your father waiting though. I want some of that sweet hot chocolate, if you know what I mean." She gave him a few pats before letting go and pulling him back inside the house.

Izuku couldn't help but give the garden another glance. He would likely never see anything that beautiful ever again. He never wanted to leave this beautiful place.

On their way in, a black cat blocked their path. It stared at Izuku with curious yet tired eyes. His other mother glared and shooed the cat away. "Pesky thing. He always rips at my flowers. Don't pay him any mind. He probably had fleas." she continued to pull him inside. Izuku felt slightly bad for the cat, but if he was such a pest then he could understand the frustration.

"Did he like it?" Izuku heard his other father ask. His other mother replied excitedly.

"He loved it, just like we knew he would. Oh, we know our sweet boy so well." A soft kiss was planted on his cheek and Izuku laughed, rubbing it off.

The fireplace was now lit, the flames almost touching outside of the brick walls. It was so nice. Izuku smiled to himself, loving the way his parents held each other's hands and looked at him with so much joy. They loved him so much.

A knock on the door sent his other mother away. Although his other father was very tall and would probably be very threatening in any other case, Izuku leaned into the hug they shared. "You mean everything to us, you know that. There's only one of you Izuku. There's no other version of you and that's why we do all of this. We love you."

He hadn't even thought about it. He was too happy to think about another him, but at least he wasn't taking from himself. He could enjoy his family without having any drawbacks. He could stay here.

His other mother came back into the room with a very expressive Todoroki. He was smiling just as widely as his other parents were. "Hey, Izuku!" His voice was much too chipper to really be his, but it made Izuku happy to have a friend. It wasn't too early to consider him a friend, was it?

"Would you like to hang out? The couple downstairs is putting on a show." Todoroki asked, excited in an almost creepy way.

"Maybe tomorrow. It's really late, isn't it?" Izuku asked, remembering how late he had stayed up from his insomnia.

"Okay! Let's hand out tomorrow then!" Todoroki marched back outside, almost in a mechanical way.

"That boy is so sweet. You have found yourself a good friend, my boy." his other father hugged him again, this time handing Izuku a steaming cup of hot chocolate.

Izuku sat down on the couch next to his other parents, happily drinking at his mug. What would he do with Todoroki? Would it be like hanging out with Iida and Ururaka? He hoped so.

His other parents share songs and stories, all hugging and laughing afterward. Izuku even laughed so hard a bit of his drink came out of his nose. It felt nice -not snorting up hot chocolate, that had actually hurt quite a bit- to be with his parents. They weren't ignoring him or sending him off to do something else. They weren't always trying to fit him in around work or chores. It was too good to be true.

All too soon, Izuku and his other parents started heading up the stairs, ready for more sleep. He wanted to beg them to stay up, to explore this amazing world, but he was too tired. He really needed more sleep.

He was tucked into bed, kissed goodnight and hugged one last time.

"We love you, Izuku." his other mother said, brushing his curly bangs away from his forehead softly.

"With all of our hearts." His other father added.

As Izuku drifted off, their voices distorted and bent in a strange way, but his sleepy mind didn't care. He fell asleep seconds later, happy, full and loved.


	3. The Neighbors (part 1)

Izuku woke up to the dull colors of his nearly empty room.

It was cold again. He hated how cold it was. He groaned aloud, covering his face with his blanket and kicking his feet to stretch the rest of the blanket around his curled body. A soft thud caught his attention and Izuku looked over the side of his bed to meet the eyes of his doll.

"It's a bad morning for me too." He sighed and picked up the cute doll. "Was that...a dream? The other world? I hope not." Izuku rubbed at the soft hair on the doll, willing himself to finally get out of bed. "Oh!" He exclaimed as an idea popped into his mind. "I can always look at the door again!"

Excitement coursed through the teen as he jumped out of bed, taking a blanket with him, and raced down the stairs. He had left the door open, right? The key should still be around there then! The cold floor did little to dampen his excited mood. He might get the chance to see that amazing world again.

Izuku stopped in the living room, eyes locking on the small door on the wall. It was closed. The key was gone. "What? But I left it open." Izuku tilted his head to the side as he walked closer. The wallpaper was still ripped around the area. It was real. That world was real.

"Izuku? Was that you?" His mother called from the kitchen. How had she woken up so early?

"Yeah." Giving the small door a last glance, Izuku walked into the cold kitchen. "What are you doing?" There were pots and pans all over the table, laying on a towel.

"I'm washing our dishes. You don't want pieces of cardboard in your food, do you?" His mother asked him as if it were obvious.

"Did you see that door in the front room?" He didn't want to tell his parents about the world. They would likely brick the door up and break the key.

"The little one? Yes, I found a key sticking out of it and so I locked it. It's weird to have a door there when it doesn't lead anywhere." She started speaking to herself, ignoring Izuku.

"Where's the key?" He needed to keep a close eye on that key if he wanted to return to that world.

His mother gave him a strange look before gesturing dismissively. "Oh, I put it with that drawer of keys. It's weird to have so many keys. Maybe you can start a little collection." She giggled to herself as if the idea of him hording keys was the silliest thing in the world. "After you make yourself breakfast, you can go visit the neighbors. I'm sure they'd like to meet you."

"I already met the kid in that house across the forest. He's kind of weird." Izuku thought back to the way he talked. He had weird goggles on too. Maybe he liked adventures as much as Izuku did, not that there were really any adventures to have around here. The other Todoroki though...Izuku still had yet to hang out with him. What was he planning to do? Probably something as magical as that garden. He smiled at the thought.

"Well, we got a package today for a . I think he's the one upstairs. Go deliver it to him while you have the time." His mother waved Izuku off as she spoke.

With yet another sigh, Izuku walked away from the kitchen and grabbed his boots and jacket. There were five boxes on a chair near the front door with someone else's name written on them. That must be the neighbor's mail. Scooping them up, Izuku waddled out of the front door and took a look around for a flight of stairs. He found them on his second trip around the pink house. They didn't look stable and creaked as he stepped on them, but if it could hold whoever lived up there, then it would likely hold him too.

Izuku tried not to look down once he was at the very top of the steps, standing outside of a large door. The second number on the door hung upside down and the door looked old and moldy. Hesitantly, Izuku knocked on the front door, not sure what to expect.

When no one answered, Izuku looked around and knocked again. It was still early. Surely whoever was didn't leave so soon. "Um, hello? I have a package for you! I think our mail got mixed up for something! Are you ?" He shouted, hoping to get an answer. Nothing came. Just as the green haired teen was about to knock again, the door creaked open, just a crack.

"Um...can I just come in?" Izuku swallowed when no one answered. Creepy. "Alright, I'm coming in…" he slowly pushed the door open, careful of the dark room he found himself in. As the light from behind him filled the room, Izuku was able to see a figure at the end of the apartment. "Hello?"

Looking to his side, Izuku found a light switch and flipped it on. He screamed when he saw an old man laying on the floor in a pool of red. The boxes were dropped and was about to bolt down the stairs to call the cops, but the dead body smiled and sat up. "I'm alive."

Izuku screamed again, the same horror running through him.

The old man quickly got up and wiped up a bit of the red liquid. "It's just ketchup, kid. Be quiet." He glared. "Are those for me?" He stopped mopping up his prank and swiped the boxes that had dropped on the floor.

Once he caught it breathe, Izuku looked away from the red pool and at the old man. "Are you... ?"

"Yep! Thanks for the grub, kid." The old man settled into a chair near an empty table and ripped open the first box. "Get me a plate, will ya?"

Nodding, Izuku walked toward the kitchen and looked through the wooden cupboards until he found a plate. He brought it over to the old man, careful not to step in the ketchup. put a few taiyaki onto it. "Go heat that up for me."

Obeying the orders of the old man, Izuku put the plate into the microwave and pressed the minute button. Was he too lazy to just go to the store and buy himself some taiyaki? No, he shouldn't judge this old, weird, guy. Maybe he had bad hips and couldn't walk right. Maybe he had a bad disease. Maybe-

"Hey! Ya gonna get that out for me or what? I'm starving over here!" shouted.

Izuku startled and brought the now heated plate over to the table. "Sorry, I was just thinking."

"Thinking about what, kid?" He grumbled through a mouth full of taiyaki.

"Oh, nothing! Just life!" Izuku laughed nervously.

The old man glared. "What's your name, Kid?"

Izuku was relieved when he didn't ask about his thoughts further. "I'm Izuku Midoriya, sir."

"Izuru?" The old man's expression twisted in confusion.

"Izuku." He corrected.

"Bah, whatever. You know, Izuru, I used to be a famous football coach. Used to teach the best players in the state. They called me Gran Torino. Not sure what it means, but it stuck. You can call me that, by the way. Just Torino is fine."

Izuku nodded absently, looking through the house while he had the chance. The place was pretty cluttered, books, boxes, and cages littering the area. A few cages were full of cheese and others were empty. There was one large cage in the back, filled with black rats. "Why do you have a cage of rats?" Izuku was starting to worry about the sanity of this old man.

"Oh those. Eh. I got too lazy to kill them so I just kept them as pets. They don't bite or anything. I feed them well." Torino said casually.

Great. He lived with two nearly crazy people. Izuku just hoped whoever lived below them was better. It was unlikely, but he could hope.

"You man to pet any?" Torino's voice pulled Izuku out of his daze.

"Um, I have to go back home. Breakfast. food?" Izuku slowly crept out of the apartment, trying to avoid having to heat another plate of taiyaki.

"See you around, Kid. don't go around starting trouble." He waved and shoved another piece of taiyaki into his mouth. Izuku had the courtesy to close the door after him.

…

Shopping in this part of Japan was almost as dull as the neighborhood. Everything came in different shades of grey. The sky never let a lick of sun through the thick blanket of clouds. It was like the earth was teasing him. It didn't give him the joy of having sunlight boy didn't let the days get eventful enough to rain. It stayed in an in-between state of gloominess.

"Put them back, Izuku. We don't have money to waste of shoes." Izuku's mother huffed as she carded through copies of the exact same grey polo. He was starting to wonder if he had gone completely blind to every color but yellow.

"But Mom, everything is so dull! These are, like, the brightest thing in this entire state! I've wanted a pair like this for a while too!" Izuku whined. Usually he was an obedient child, but when the world decided to make his life so boring and hard, he started to run out of patience. Especially when he saw a beautiful pair of red hightops that were just within convincible price range. Apparently that range had dropped lower since they moved.

"Put. Them. Back." She glared and Izuku huffed, slumping almost as badly as his father. He didn't even get the pleasure of nerding out with his dad. They had to drop him off at the local school for an interview.

"Dad would by them…" Izuku muttered, although he doubted his father's presence would actually help the situation. He was almost a suck up to Mom.

"Izuku Midoriya, you put those shoes away right now!" Mom was getting scary and Izuku obeyed faster.

His other mother would buy them for him. As Izuku put the shoes back onto their place in the store, he looked down at the doll and groaned. "I just want something fun to wear…" The doll didn't answer, much to Izuku's disappointment.

They ended up buying three sets of grey shirts and five pairs of pants. He was going to hate school. The drive back was just as boring. All Izuku could think about was that pair of shoes. It was even on sale. Some other kid was probably going to show up to school with those exact shoes and become the coolest kid there, while Izuku got picked on for being short, weird and different. Like always.

Memories of Hanging out with Iida and Ururaka back in Musutafu made his heart ache. He missed them so much. If he had known this place was going to be so boring, he would've stayed with them.

"Izuku, help me put the groceries away, will you?" His mother called. He was almost surprised she was so willing to have his company after he had begged for shoes. He would take what he could get.

Dad came walking into the kitchen just as they finished, groaning and rubbing at his back. "Man. Sitting for that long really isn't good for me. Thank goodness I managed to run from my chiropractor." He laughed, as if it was actually funny.

Izuku shrugged, too tied up thinking of Iida and Ururaka.

"My entire back side hurts. It's like that time your mom got sick and I had to sit with her for hours just so she could sleep. I was throbbing for we-"

"Excuse me?"

Dad jumped when Mom suddenly appeared behind him, less than amused with his down talking. "Oh! Well what do you know! A lovely woman!" He was really bad at this.

"I suggest you keep those ideas to yourself if you don't want me to haul you out of bed next time you get sick." Mom glared her entire way to the stove.

"I'm sorry, Inko." Dad continued to try and cheer her up but his attempts were obviously not going to work.

Izuku had had enough of his parents antics. Walking up the staircase, he ventured into his parents room. The dresser had been replaced with his parents' bed, the dresser now pushed up against the far wall. They must have moved it while he was talking to Torino.

Walking over to the dresser, he saw that it had been dusted off. It looked newer now. As he pulled the drawer out, he immediately saw the black button key. He snatched it up as if it were seconds away from disappearing. He really had to keep this safe. If his mom threw it out by accident, he would never get to go back to that world.

Walking calmly down the stairs, despite his excitement, Izuku walked into the living room. It sounded like his parents were still in the kitchen, arguing. "Hey, Mom! Dad! I'm going to the neighbor's house!" Izuku yelled as a cover as he hid his boots beneath a blanket. They would likely suspect he was lying if they found them. He opened and shut the door as more proof -although he was starting to think they weren't listening- and crawled back over to the small door. He was eager to get back to that world.

Slowly, Izuku put the key in and turned it with a soft click. Even slower, he opened it and winced at the soft creak it gave. Looking around the living room another time, in case someone was watching, Izuku nodded to himself. The coast was clear.

Izuku was met with a brick wall. "What?!" He exclaimed, completely caught off guard. There was no magical tunnel. It was just bricks. He pushed his hands around the offending red blocks, trying to push them away. "No! No!"

After much pushing and slapping on the wall, Izuku slumped and sighed. He wanted to cry. Had his world really been a dream? He wasn't so sure anymore. Gripping the key tightly in his hand, Izuku ran back up the stairs and into his room. He dropped the key onto the side desk and pulled his doll to his chest and he landed on the bed. Tears started to roll down his cheeks. "I don't want it to be a dream! I want to go back! I need to!" He choked on his tears and struggled to wipe them away.

No one came for him. They must not have heard him yelling or crying. That was typical for his parents. So caught up in whatever they're doing to notice his pain or to notice him at all. "My other parents made time for me. They would know if I was crying. They would care about me." he looked at his doll and wiped at it's cheek, pretending it was crying too. It made him feel slightly better.

"It's okay, little me. I'll take care of you." He whispered as he continued to cry, just wanting to be held. He spared a glance at the key that laid on his desk. He could try again tonight. He didn't know much about magic, but he was desperate. If there was a slight chance to get back, he would take it.


	4. The Other Neighbors

Izuku woke up late into the night, ready to test the small door again.

He walked down the stairs carefully, the key wrapped tightly in his fingers. He chanted to himself as he walked. "Please work. Please work. Please work." The room was chilly but he had gotten used to that over the few days he'd stayed. He wore thicker socks this time around.

Crawling toward the small door, Izuku sucked in a large breath and pushed the key in again. He almost didn't want to open it. If he did, then he wouldn't have that hope to cling to. It would've all been a dream and he would spend the rest of his days like this, in the cold, dull house with crazy neighbors.

He had to though. He needed to know more than he needed his hope. "Let's do this nice and steady…" he muttered as he pulled the door open, very slowly. He closed his eyes before he could see inside, but the cool wind that rushed past his curly hair already gave him the answer. He wanted to cry again, but this time out of joy.

Slowly, he opened his eyes and smiled wide at the tunnel. He knew it. Izuku wasted no time crawling through this time. He was less confused as he emerged on the other side. He immediately saw the difference in color and temperature. This felt more like home.

"Izuku!" His other mother had already found him, smiling as she walked over. "Welcome back dear! We were starting to worry. Now come alone! We have a gift for you!" She hugged him, wiped his cheek -even though there were no tears, he still felt a warmth in his heart- and pulled him into the kitchen. His father had already made them each a cup of hot chocolate and was smiling just as brightly. He missed their smiles.

"A gift?" Izuku asked, excused for the box on the table. It was wrapped with light green ribbons and had a white base color. He rarely got gifts from his parents. His other mother sad next to his other father and they both beamed as he unwrapped the present.

He gasped once he saw what was inside. "The red shoes!" He exclaimed, already pulling them onto his socked feet. They fit perfectly.

"Those are some really cool shoes, my boy!" His other father beamed. "I'm almost jealous." He joked.

Izuku laughed and smiled down at his feet. "I love them so much! Thank you!" He felt his other mother wipe away a single tear.

"None of that now, my dear son. We did this because we love you. Oh! You should go show your new friend!" She hopped out of the room and pulled the other Todoroki into the room. His smile was too wide for his face, but Izuku didn't really mind. It was better than the serious face he always had before.

"What to hang out, Izuku?" He used his first name in a friendly manner. It felt nice to have a friend like this again. It helped the longing to have Iida and Ururuaka around.

"Yeah! What are we going to do?" He asked, a bit unsure of what else there was to do in this area. The other world was beautiful, but what events were going on?

Instead of answering Todoroki took his arm and pulled him out of the house. "Torino's got a game tonight! I don't want you to miss it!" He smiled back at him as they walked.

Izuku barely heard his other mother call for them to have fun before they raced to the back of the house and up the long stairs. The railing looked less unsturdy, lights lacing the metal and a wide flag hanging from the top. Izuku wondered what the other Torino would be like. Less old and weird? Would he make them eat taiyaki? Taiyaki sounded good right now.

Todoroki pushed the door open without knocking, and Izuku was about to comment, but the lights and booming voice stopped him. He heard a younger version of Torino's voice say "welcome to the one and only Ratterbowl!" He shouted. There were fake vendors along the sides, little dressed up rats waving strings of candy and another had plates of Taiyaki. He almost laughed. Todoroki picked up as much candy as he could carry and Izuku smiled at the nachos.

There was a big dome in the middle of the apartment that neither teen could see through. The booming voice called them inside, telling them to take their seats for the show. As Izuku walked in, he found himself in a miniature version of a football stadium.

Todoroki and Izuku took their seats up close, making sure to see the whole scene. Just as they sat down and began to eat, a miniature rat marching band started to play. They played their drums and horns to cutely, but the cheerleaders were the cutest. They wore little skirts and waved pom poms around.

The band sounded wonderful, everything perfectly in sink. Todoroki laughed and nudged Izuku's shoulder, pointing to the little flag wavers near the back. It was an amazing performance, but the game hadn't even started yet. Izuku wouldn't hold back his excitement once the band went off the field and the players ran out. There was a team of rats with a yellow GT on their uniforms. The other team wore black with purple beetles on their uniforms.

"Which one is Gran Torino's?" Todoroki asked, still smiling -which was starting to get creepy.

Izuku pointed to the GT uniformed ones. "Those guys. I don't know where the other guys are from. Probably outside or something." he laughed at the thought. Trained mice battling against outside rats in a football game. What a weird show.

The game started and other teens were immediately shouting and yelling, waving their candy bars and nacho ships in the air. It was a tense game, the outside rats played well but dirty. Izuku almost cried when one of the GT rats had to get carried off the field and replaced. The team was tied at 32:32, the end of the game in six seconds, the rats trying desperately to make it to their own side. One GT rat got the ball and started sprinting to the end, a few tried to tackle, and right when Izuku thought it was all over, the rat made it over and the buzzer rang.

Both Todoroki and Izuku jumped up in cheers, throwing popcorn and candy everywhere. They never stopped cheering until every rat was off the field. They threw their candy wrappers and food away on their way out and were greeted by Torino's proud smile. He was in fact younger, and taller too. He wore a shirt with the same logo as his team, his hat resting nicely on his head. He looked like a real coach. The button eyes became less odd to Izuku.

"How was it, boys? I think that was the game of the century." He laughed.

"It was amazing!" Izuku shouted. "I've never gone to a better game!"

"Thanks, Torino!" Todoroki chimed.

"Of course, kids! Don't be scared to spot by any time! Have a good night, Izuku!" He called as they walked out, the rats putting away the food stations and the team gathering around their coach.

Izuku never stopped talking as he walked with Todoroki back into the house and still didn't stop as his other parents greeted him. He only stopped when long yawn came. "Man, I'm tired." He mumbled to himself. That much excitement so late at night isn't really good for anyone. He'd be even more tired tomorrow.

"Let's take you to bed then, our sleepy boy." His other mother kissed is head and started guiding him toward the stairs.

"Wait!" he protested. "I'm not that tired. I can still stay up longer. Really I can-" His arguments were interrupted by another yawn. He cursed his body for betraying him.

"It's alright, sweet Izuku. We can always see each other another time. You need your rest."

Izuku yelped as he was picked up by his other father. His other father laughed they went up the stairs and Izuku cuddled into his other parent. He really was tired. Once inside, he was set down gently on his bed and tucked in. His other father smiled by the side of the bed as his other mother kissed his head over and over again. Giggling, the teen shoved her away gently. He really didn't want to sleep, but he couldn't stay up any more.

"We love you, Izuku. So much." His other mother whispered into his ear before standing next to his other father. They stood there, smiling as his eyes slowly dropped.

"I love you...too." Izuku muttered, falling asleep quickly. He wanted to stay up, he really did. He wanted to feel their loving embraces, their kisses and hugs. He wanted to hear them say how much they loved him, but he just couldn't. His mind was wondering, forgetting the world around him and lulling him into a deep sleep.

He hoped he wouldn't wake up in his own world this time.


	5. New and Strange Neighbors

It was getting harder and harder for Izuku to handle the boring world he lived in when he knew he could just stay in the other world.

Izuku decided -his parents forced him- to visit the couple that lived below them. It was all he had left to do and he supposed it wouldn't hurt much. He pulled on his rain boots and his yellow jacket, hallering to his parents that he was leaving not that they were listening- before leaving. It was even more grey outside today, although, the thick layer of fog covering the ground made it almost interesting.

The white cloud went up to his hips, covering his view of the stairwell that lead to his neighbor's apartment. Was it closer to the steps of Torino's apartment or was it just out front? He really couldn't tell. Izuku tried wiping his hand in front of his to clear the path, but that only made more clouds swirl around his body. Sighing, Izuku decided to trace the side of the house. If he fell down a flight of stairs, then he'd found it.

As Izuku walked, he couldn't help but feel uneasy. The fog made it impossible for him to see where he was going, and not only could he fall down those stairs at any second, he couldn't see if anyone was around. Izuku spared a look up at the highest window of the pink house, seeing his father's face, working on his computer. He hadn't even brushed his hair before he started working. It made Izuku sigh again. Why did his parents have to be so focused on everything else?

Just as Izuku was about to start walking again, he heard someone walking. Whirling around, he looked at every corner, seeing if someone was nearby. He saw no one. Just as he was about to let it go, he heard it again, closer this time. Izuku's heart was pumping too quickly and he had a hard time breathing with the extra water in the air.

Izuku screamed as a head popped out of the fog. Large goggles covered the majority of his face, but the green haired teen could tell who it was. Gasping for breath and placing a hand on his heart, Izuku muttered, "Todoroki, you scared me."

A black cat jumped onto the half-and-half boy's shoulder and stared at Izuku. It almost looked familiar to him. It had a small scar just under its eye and it looked like it was glaring at him. Todoroki didn't seem to notice. "What are you doing, Midoriya?" He asked with a blank face. Izuku almost forgot how strange the real Todoroki was.

"I'm looking for the couple that lived down stairs." He explained, not completely sure if the blue and brown eyes boy would be much help. True, there weren't many people around but he didn't know how well these people knew each other. He'd never seen either neighbor outside before.

"I'm looking for slugs." Todoroki stated as if it were a natural activity. "I brought my tweezers and camera." He held both up.

"Do you want to help me?" His face lightened a bit, almost excited.

"Um...sure?" He could afford delaying the strange meeting with his neighbors. Taking the camera that was handed to him, Izuku followed the other boy around until he came back up with a slug in his hand.

"This is my father." Todoroki stated with a completely serious face. Izuku wanted to laugh but wasn't sure if it was even a joke. The boy then continued to pretend to eat him like a monster and gestured to the camera. Fumbling slightly, Izuku aimed it for the other boy and took a picture.

Todoroki continued to pose in different ways, always including the slug. Izuku laughed at each one, seeing the sense of humor in the seemingly serious boy. He enjoyed hanging out with the real Todoroki too. It was different from the magical Football games but it was still enjoyable. It almost felt more real.

Taking back the camera, Todoroki threw the slug behind him and gave a small smile. "You're good." He said in a mysterious sort of way. Good? "I have something to ask you." He went serious again.

"Alright?" Izuku fidgeted, rubbing his shoulders in anxiety. This seriousness seemed genuine, not just the boy's nature.

"Was that doll actually yours?"

"Oh! About the doll. Um, I don't really know. I didn't have it before coming here, but I don't know who else would have a doll of me. Really, the idea that someone else could it terrifying. Who would make a doll of their neighbor's kid? It's unlikely anyway. Wouldn't it take a while for someone to make a doll like that and if they could manage to make it in time, how would they know what I look like to that exactness? I haven't spent much time outside, unless-" He continued to ramble on, unaware of Todoroki's stare.

"Midoriya, you talk too much." He said plainly, stopping the green haired boy completely.

That was kind of rude. "Um, anyway, is that all you wanted to know about the doll? Whether it was mine or not?"

"When I was really young, my brother had a doll like that, but it was of him. We used to live in this house back then. My oldest brother would go missing sometimes during the day but he'd always come back. He always refused to tell us where he went, saying it was his secret. He was old enough that my mother never worried, until he didn't come back. He didn't leave a note, a peace offering or a word. Once the investigation was claimed unsolvable, my mother went insane with grief and was sent away. My big sister forbid us from going inside ever again." Todoroki looked at the house in a sort of longing. "This house is cursed."

Izuku swallowed thickly. Could Todoroki's brother be experiencing the same thing he was? He thought the world was special to him. Maybe it was, and Todoroki's brother went missing some other way. It could easily be a coincidence.

"Thanks for taking pictured with me." Todoroki bowed before walking away, the cat going with him. The cat stared back at

Izuku was he walked, staring in a less intimidating way.

Todoroki left and Izuku was still struggling to find the steps to the neighbor's house. Just as he was about to start walking along the house, the stairs appeared, almost making him trip all the way down. The fog flowed down the steps in a majestic way. Slowly, Izuku walked down and hesitated before knocking. The sound of a dog barking made the teen smile. Iida had lots of dogs.

"Back! Back I say, back!" A male voice shouted inside and the door was thrown open. A tall, blond man stood at the other side of the door frame. He wore a lot of leather and his hair was tied back in a loose ponytail. He had a slight mustache and a pair of yellow tinted sunglasses. He looked like a DJ. "Well hey there, kiddo! Welcome to the estate! You must be the kid of the family that moved in!" He shouted, unnecessarily loud.

"Who's at the door, Zashi?" A female voice called.

The man in question turned his head to the right where Izuku assumed the voice came from and called back. "It's the kid from next door."

There was some shuffling before a woman with long black hair and sharp red glasses smiled. "Well isn't he a cute one? I could just gobble him up!" She crouched down and puckered her lips in an adoring way. Izuku blushed at the compliment and was about to speak before he was pulled inside.

The bull dog barked and sniffed at his boots as Izuku inspected the apartment. It was smaller, one couch and a coffee table occupying the entire living room. There was a glass window that lead to what looked like a recording studio. The blonde one being a DJ shouldn't be too far off then. The apartment was filled with different kinds of animals. A large, white rabbit hopped over to him as the black haired female guided him to the couch.

"I'll get you some tea, okay?" She hurried off as the blond sat down next to him, throwing an arm over his shoulder. The closeness made Izuku uncomfortable.

"I'm Yamada Hizashi, nice to meet you kid. The lady's name is Kayama Nemuri. We work together on a radio station. We play the hottest music in the nation! Well, I do. She answers love questions for her part. We're pretty popular around here. Oh, and whatever the weirdos around here say, we aren't together. It's all just friendly working." Yamada shared.

The woman -Kayama- smiled as she bought in a steaming cup of tea. "Quit talking his ear off." She scolded and sat down on the other side of the couch, grabbing the bunny and setting it down in her lap. "We go by Present Mic and Midnight on the radio. It's a pretty taxing job, besides what people may think. Viewer input is always top priority. Maybe you could give us a listen one of these days." She winked.

"Um, I'm Midoriya Izuku. We just moved in, but you already...um, you already knew that." He rubbed at his neck awkwardly.

"Well sup, Midoriya." Yamada greeted happily. "We've got quite a lot of animals. Mind if I introduce you?"

Oh no. Where these the kind of people to talk to their pets? Treated them like humans and all that. "Sure?" Izuku replied, not wanting to be rude.

"This is 13. We're not completely sure their gender because their past owners sewed their genitals up." Kayama stated sadly.

That was a lot to take in at once. The bunny hopped into Izuku's lap and looked up at him curiously. The bull dog barked again, catching their attention. "That's Cementoss. He's easily excited and likes attention." Yamada commented as if he were introducing a famous athlete.

"The coati over there is Snipe. They typically don't come around Japan, but we picked him up on our Brazil trip." Said coati looked up at them and stared. Did all of their pets have weird names?

The lizard over there is Ectoplasm. He's a rad dude, doesn't do much but loves to sing." Yamada demonstrated this love by starting to sing some tunes and the lizard chirped along. It was fun to watch, the lizard bobbing its head through the song.

"You do have some weird animals." Izuku stated, a bit amused. He sipped at his tea and hummed softly. It was pretty good. Better then whatever cheap kid his parents got.

"We sure do. Hey, don't hesitate to come over any time. We're welcoming to anyone and everyone." Kayama smiled down at him.

Izuku got up and handed back the cup, taking his leave for the day. They still a strange bunch of people. They fit perfectly into the strange show of the rest of the neighbors. He vaguely wondered what their other versions would be like.

…

When Izuku got back into his room, he found the black key missing.

Marching into his parents room, he searched the dresser only to come to the same conclusion. It was gone. Starting to panic, he ran down the stairs and reached through the kitchen. "Mom!" He shouted, still looking through the drawers. "Mom! Where did you put the key?!"

"Izuku, what are you shouting about?" His mother crossed her arms as she walked into the kitchen. "What are you doing?"

"Where did you put it?!" He didn't care that he was yelling anymore. He needed the key. He needed it to get back to the other world.

"Put what?" She asked, genuinely confused.

He groaned and turned toward her, his anger showing quite well. "The key! The one with the button! Where did you put it?!" he repeated himself.

"I hung it up. I didn't want you getting into that door. There could be gross spiders or mice back there."

Her answer only proved to make him more angry. "Why?!"

His mother didn't seem to appreciate his temper. "Do not speak to me like that, young man!"

"I need that key, Mom! You don't understand!"

"Izuku, you stop this right now! You do not need a silly little key that leads to nothing!"

"You don't get it!" He stopped for a few seconds, breathing softly before saying in a dangerously low tone. "You don't care. You don't care about what I need. You only care about yourself."

"Don't you dare use that tone with me!" She was on the verge of crying. "Go...go to your room! I'm done with you!" She shouted, pointing out of the kitchen. "You don't get dinner tonight! Not with that attitude!" Her arm shook as she held it up.

Izuku glared darkly and refused to move.

"Go!" She was openly crying now.

"I hate you." He growled out as he stomped away. He ran up the stairs and threw his door shut. He was too angry to lay down. He threw his boots against the wall, beating his pillow and picked up the next thing to throw, but hesitated. Slowly, he lowered his hand to look at the doll. His doll.

"What am I going to do?" He sobbed out. His composure crumpled and he fell onto his bed. "I just want to be happy." He sobbed.

Looking at the doll, he noticed the way it pulled at him. It felt like having a piece of his other parents with him. That love almost completely reflected in its black button eyes. He would always find the key. She hadn't thrown it away. He could look for it once his parents were asleep. He still had a chance.

He wasn't going to be eating dinner, so he had all evening to plan.


	6. A Twist To Fate

The black button key hung just above the study window. It was obvious who had put it up there, both him and his mother barely being able to reach the middle of the window. He pushed the anger toward his father away quickly. He shouldn't have been surprised in the first place.

He made quick work of pulling the chair over and stepped on it carefully. If he fell then his chance would be over. The chair didn't move much as he stood up straight. The key was not within reach. Izuku let out a heavy sigh once he unhooked it and held it firmly in his hand. He could go back now. He could be happy again.

Returning the chair back to its original position, Izuku rushed back to the living room. He'd have to make sure to close the door behind him this time and hook the key up again in the morning. If they found out about what he did tonight, he'd likely never see the key again. He couldn't handle that realization.

"Let's go, little me." He whispered as he crawled through the tunnel, turning to close the door and hang the chain the key was attached to around his neck. The journey to the other world took more time than usual. He took his time to examine the sides of the tunnel, the beautiful pulsing colors and the magic of it all. He'd missed this tunnel.

"Welcome back, Izuku." His other mother chirped as he crawled into the other world. "You're just in time for supper." She poked her head out of the kitchen and her smile warmed the teen's hardened heart.

He had to let go of his anger while he was here. Staying mad would only ruin his time here. Putting on a smile, Izuku walked over to the kitchen. The smells reminded him of how hungry he was. Skipping dinner had taken a larger toll than he had thought.

His other mother held his face in her warm hands the moment he walked in. "oh, I love you, Izuku. It's so difficult to go about my day without you here." She gave him a sad smile, but it was quickly replaced by an excited one. "Maybe we can play a game after you come back from your little play date with Todoroki." She gave him a wink.

Izuku blushed out of embarrassment. "It's not a play date, Other Mom…" He muttered, although he still held his smile. He didn't mind the teasing.

"Why of course not!" His other father chimed, seeming to have come out of nowhere. "Only little kids have play dates." He gave Izuku a big bear hug before letting him go and ruffling his hair. He loved having a father who didn't betray him over his mother's will.

"So, I'm hanging out with Todoroki today?" He asked, excitement taking his features. If it was going to be as magical as the last even was, then he couldn't wait.

Once everyone was seated at the dining table, dinner began. The chandelier dropped down low, revealing the meal that had been prepared. Izuku's eyes went wide as he spotted the Katsudon. He immediately reached forward and grabbed the steaming bowl, picking up his chopsticks and shoving half the bowl into his mouth.

"My my! Someone's hungry!" His other father laughed.

"This is amazing!" Izuku shouted through a mouthful of food. He swallowed before continuing. "Thank you so much!"

His other mother touched her heart with a sweet smile. "We do this because we love you, Izuku."

He wasn't sure how to respond to that other than to continue eating with a smile on his face. Dinner passed too quickly, but it left the teen full -not only in his stomach but his heart. He offered to help them clean up, but both other parents rejected his help, telling him to wait for Todoroki instead. He was fine with waiting.

Once Todoroki did come, they both were wisped away to the apartment down stairs. As they walked outside toward the neighbor's house, Izuku caught sight of the cat that had been on the real Todoroki's shoulder just earlier today. It didn't have button eyes, which made the teen curious, but he was pulled too quickly to examine.

"Come one, Izuku!" Todoroki rushed. "If we're late then we'll miss the opening act!"

Izuku wasn't sure what to expect from his newly met neighbors, but he surely didn't expect a live studio. The apartment opened into a large stage with couches and chairs spread around. There was a table filled with snack foods and drinks. A few seats were taken up by the pets he had met just today, who all had button eyes and wore casual clothing: Snipe, the coati, wore a fancy cowboy had; Ectoplasm, the lizard, wore a pair of glasses; Cementoss, the bull dog, had a thick ponytail behind his head and 13, the rabbit, wore a pair of large goggles.

Todoroki greeted the pets, who surprisingly nodded back and they sat down. The lights went to the stage and everyone went quiet. There was an orchestra playing, although they couldn't see them, and Yamada jumped down onto the stage. He held a microphone in his hand and his button eyes glistened in the light.

"Are you ready to rock?!" He yelled into the microphone. The pets and Todoroki clapped and hooted. Izuku sat, still slightly confused. That didn't seem to satisfy Yamada because he shouted again. "I said! Are you ready to roooooock?!" The last word rang through the theater.

This time, all occupants hooted and cheered, which brought a smile to the host's face. "That's what I'm talking about! Today, we have a special guest, Izuku!" All lights went to the seat the boy in question was and he smiled shyly. Thankfully the lights moved quickly and the show continued. "We'll be playing some of our hit songs today, special for out guest."

The lights went out and a second later, they came on again to illuminate Kayama and Yamada. Ectoplasm seemed to have cloned himself, because not only was the little lizard the drummist, but he was also the guitarist and on the keyboard. The song started with a hit of the lizard's drumsticks and Izuku was immediately blown away.

The performance was perfect. Everything from the beat to the lyrics made him want to dance. A few minutes in, Todoroki tapped his shoulder and pulled a this hand. When Izuku only responded with a confused expression, the half-and-half teen took his hand and pulled him to what looked like a dance floor.

As the song went on, the two danced and laughed, enjoying the music thoroughly. Neither was able to hear the other because of the volume, but that was okay. Just as the second song closed, all of the instruments were lifted into the air and off the stage. They were replaced by a single piano. Yamada walked over to it and sat down, preparing to play for Kayama, who seemed to be the vocalist of this song.

The start was upbeat and happy. The lyrics were about Izuku, much to his surprise. They told about how amazing he was and how much they love him. It was a bit strange, coming from two accountancy, but he enjoyed it all the same.

The concert went on, a few more songs about him coming on, and as the last song rolled around, Izuku noticed how happy he was. Before, he had been bitter, angry, betrayed. He wanted nothing more but to lash out or scream, but now, he was smiling genuinely and having the time of his life.

Izuku was almost sad when the concert ended. The pets filing out of the room as Todoroki and Izuku left. Like yesterday, the two talked about how amazing the concert was and their favorite parts. As Izuku walked back inside the house, Todoroki stayed out. When the green haired boy gave him a curious look, the other Todoroki only shrugged.

"Welcome back, dear." His other mother came up from behind, smiling so gently. Izuku's confusion fizzled away as he smiled at her. Without another thought on Todoroki, the boy was led back into the dinning room, a small wrapped gift in the middle.

"Another gift?" Izuku asked, not quite sure why he needed another. "Didn't I get one yesterday?" He looked down at his shoes, making sure they were real.

"There's no reason to not get two gifts. Besides, this one is very special." His other mother elaborated.

That was enough convincing for Izuku as he sat down and unwrapped it once given the permission to do so. He did not expect to find two buttons, a needle and spool of thread inside. Something cold ran down the teen's back and he looked up at his other parents. Their smiles gave nothing away.

"Buttons?" He asked hesitantly. Why would he need this?

"You see, dear, the rules of his world are that those who live here must have buttons. If you want to stay, we will have to sew them on." She said it so sweetly, Izuku almost missed the hidden message.

"Wait! Sew them?! You're not...You can't sew buttons into my eyes!" He was starting to panic, dread running through his body in waves.

"That's the rules, kid. I wish we could change them, but it just can't be done. Really, it's a small price to pay in order to stay here. Think of the fun we could have!" His other father smiled brighter, but it only made Izuku more uneasy.

"But...Buttons. Into my eyes. I won't be able to see, right? And it will hurt! A lot!" He started to feel sick from the image.

"Oh, don't think of it like that. It'll be light a shot! It hurts a little, but it'll be over very soon." His other mother tilted her head to the side. "You'll get to stay with us forever. You'll be happy for ever. Isn't that worth it?" She asked.

"I need to go to bed!" Izuku shouted as he stood up, bumping the table and making the spool of black thread fall over.

"What? But we haven't had hot chocolate yet. Don't you want to stay up for that?" Other father asked.

"I'm soooo tired! Man, my back hurts too! It's been a loooong day and I have to get my sleep!" Izuku gave a very unconvincing smile but the look his other parents gave each other seemed to be good.

"Well, I guess if you're really that tired…" his other mother tapped at her chin thoughtfully. "Let me put you to bed, then." she smiled.

"No! No, that's okay. I can do it." Izuku rushed up the stairs, not caring to bring the doll of himself with him. He was too scared to get near his other parents again. They watched him as he marched up and he slammed the door to keep them out. Izuku ducked under his blanket and let the tears roll as the horror set in. "this can't be real. This can't be real. This can't be!" He pinched his eyes shut and pulled the blanket closer to himself.

He cried until his eyes were too heavy to keep open. He hoped he wouldn't dream of his parents sewing buttons into his eyes.

…

When Izuku woke up, he expected to be back home, slightly cold but happy. He expected to hear his real parents down stairs talking or cooking. He expected to see the world he learned to hate, but he did not get that.

What he did see was his other mother leaning against his bed frame with a smile curled on her lips. It took everything in him to not scream. She stroked the edge of his blanket softly and never broke eye contact. "Good morning, sleepy head." She laughed, but it sounded hollow.

"I thought…" He could barely manage to get the words out of his mouth.

"You thought you'd wake up in your other bed? Not today, sweetie. We decided to keep you here tonight."

"You...You carried be back every night?" The thought of his other parents touching him in his sleep made him shiver. They would have sown the buttons in his sleep and he would never know until he woke up.

"Of course! We had to follow the rules."

Izuku got up hesitantly and tried walking out of his room but was stopped by his other mother. She had a sad look on her face, but he didn't care. He had to get back. Remembering the key that hung around his neck, Izuku pressed his hand against where it would be, but found nothing. He looked around the room before his other mother pulled his attention.

"Are you missing this?" She asked with a less than sweet smile. She held up the key in a mocking way.

He couldn't speak. His mind sent off too many alarms for him to focus. He was trapped here unless he could get the key.

"Now, stop being so childish and sit down with your mother." he reached for his hand but he pulled it away.

"You're not my mother!" he growled, backing away from her.

"Excuse me?" She glared at him, but he couldn't focus on her. He had to find a way out. Maybe there was a way to walk back home? No, that was silly. "You do not speak to your mother that way."

"You're not!" he repeated and gasped as she grabbed his arm. Her grip was tight enough to hurt and he tried to pry her fingers off with no help.

Izuku stopped struggling when he felt her shift. Looking up at her, he saw his mother's natural fat melt away to a thin, hollow monster. Her hair was no longer soft, but like dark vines. Her arms grew small thorns, like the stem of a rose and her fingers like long, thin roots. Her buttons were dangerous and she pulled him out of the bedroom roughly.

He stumbled down the stairs, barely avoiding falling and was shoved into a mirror. He landed with a grunt and could only see her terrifying face as he looked back.

"I will let you out once you have learned to control your temper." She hissed before retreating back into the mirror. By the time he was on his feet again, the mirror became solid and he cried desperately for help.

"No! No-let me out! I have to get back home! Don't lock me in here!" He was on the verge of crying.

It was helpless. He was stuck inside of this cold room, completely at his other mother's mercy.


	7. A New Mission

Izuku wasn't sure how long it had been before he felt a pair of ice cold hands on his head. He gasped and stood up, expecting to see the other mother, but his panic left when he was met with a nearly transparent child.

The child was a little boy with slightly wavy hair. His face was frozen in a horrified look, his button eyes picking at Izuku's curiosity. His lips looked chapped and there were scars covering his face.

There were two other ghosts behind him, a little girl with two messy buns and short bangs, and the other was a little boy with spiky hair. The other two's faces were frozen in less horrified expression, but none were anything close to happy. It made Izuku nervous, being trapped in a room with these ghosts.

Their transparent clothing ranged from what looked like the late 1800s to modern. The first ghost boy was the oldest, then? The girl wore a school uniform, which made Izuku's heart ache. She was didn't look too old either.

"Are...are you trapped here too?" Izuku asked, the silence making him uneasy.

The first ghost spoke without moving his mouth. "We are." His voice echoed through the cold room. "We were once like you, sad and lonely. We found this world, wanting something fun out of life."

"So...she got to you too? Did...did she sew those buttons on?" It was an obvious question, but he needed the confirmation.

The little girl nodded. "She promised us games and toys, treats and love. We let her sew them so that we could stay." Her gaze fell to the ground, but her expression stayed unmoving.

The first boy spoke again. "She lied to us all. She did not want to love us, she wanted to eat up. She took our souls and trapped us here, where we've stayed since."

The other boy finally spoke. "All I want is to see my mommy again. I never got the chance to say goodbye." his tone breaking Izuku's heart.

"Is there was a way for you to get out of here?" He asked, wanting to help them. It's not their fault they were like this.

"The witch took our real eyes and hid them from us. If you find them, then we will be at peace." The first said. "I will finally be able to see my grandmother again."

"Please." the little girl pleaded. "Help us find our eyes."

Izuku felt overwhelmed but determination swelled in his chest. "I'll do it. I'll set you free." He promised. A buzzing sound from behind him made him turn. He gasped when he saw a head pop through the mirror.

It was the other Todoroki, but he was no longer smiling. His mouth was sewn shut and although he had buttons for eyes, they clearly showed the pain he was in. before Izuku could say anything, he was being pulled through the mirror and down the hall.

"Wait, To-"

The other teen slammed his hand onto the green haired boy's mouth. There was a soft snoring from around the corner and slowly, Todoroki guided the way into the living room. His other father laid in his real father's favorite chair, fast asleep. When Todoroki pointed to his hand, Izuku swallowed.

The key to the door was in his hand. How was he supposed to get it? His other father seemed to have gotten bigger as well, his muscles more defined and it intimidated him. Izuku was fairly wear as it was.

He wasn't sure what Todoroki was doing as he crawled forward, toward his other father. The heterochromic boy slowly touched the huge hand and tried to pry it open. Izuku trusted Todoroki, so he kept a close eye on is other father. He didn't stir or turn, only snorted.

Todoroki let out a soft groan in frustration and tried a different approach. Izuku crept forward and slowly let his hand touch his father's. Just by touching them, he knew how strong those hands were. This monster could destroy both boys without breaking a sweat. The thought made Izuku shiver in fear.

Slowly, Izuku tried to uncurl the large fingers and loosen his grip. It worked ever slightly, the key still fully lodged inside of the hand but it was starting to look less impossible.

Izuku's shoe squeaked against the hardwood floor and his other father jolted awake. The hand that held the key opened and Izuku snatched the key quickly. He ran to the other side of the living room and opened the small door. He dared to look back before crawling through. The scene made him stop. His father had a tight grip on the other Todoroki's throat, the boy's face twisting in pain and terror, but his sewn lips kept him from screaming.

"What's going on down there?" His other mother called from around the corner.

Todoroki locked eyes with him and pointed weakly to the door. Izuku shook his head. He didn't want to leave him. Who knows what they'd do to him for betraying them He couldn't let them hurt Todoroki. His other father tightened his grip and the other boy choked. His other mother was rounding the corner and Izuku knew it was too late.

Tears ran down his cheeks as he shut the small door and crawled to the other side.

…

The house was too quiet. No one was home or had been for a while. That much was clear by the closed computer and rotten groceries. The car hadn't left and both parents' phones were still in their bedroom. Everything was exactly as it was when he left, but his parents. They were gone and he had no idea where they had gone.

As Izuku sat in his bed, confused and scared, he heard a soft tapping on the window. It was the cat from the day before, when he took pictured with Todoroki. Wiping away his tears, Izuku opened the window and watched it crawl onto his bed. It looked around the sheets, sniffing at his pillow until it left the room. Izuku closed the window and followed it curiously.

They ventured into his parents room and the cat hissed at something under the bed. Izuku had expected a rat, given the stereotype of cats and rats, but he was surprised to see a doll.

Chills ran up Izuku's arms the longer he looked at it. It was of his parents. One side showed his mother's sweet smile and soft hair and the other was of his thin but happy father. It made him sick and he wanted to throw it, but he couldn't. This must have been the way his other mother saw him. Saw how unhappy he was.

He carried it to the kitchen and pulled out the sharpest knife they had. He pulled out the thread the held it's button eyes in place and slacked the fabric until it was only scraps and a pile of sand.

The cat bumped its head against his hand and seemed to be trying to comfort him. How did it know about the doll?

"Do you know about the other mother?" He asked, not sure what kind of response he would get.

The cat nodded slowly in response and Izuku stared or a few seconds before considering it. The cat had warned him about the other mother, back when he saw it that first day. His other mother called it a pest. He now knew why.

"They're gone, aren't they. She took them." Izuku sighed at the nod the cat gave and scratched at his scalp.

The cat jumped off of the counter and the teen didn't follow this time. It was dark outside already and he was alone. Slowly, he walked up the stairs and walked into his parents room. The quiet halls made him numb.

He collected a few pillows and arranged them into the shape of his parents. His father was a single line of harder pillows and his mother a bundle of fluffy ones. He crawled in between them and hugged himself. "Good night, dad." he hugged the pillows before turning over, the tears starting to roll again. "Good night, mom." he kissed what was supposed to be her soft cheek and settled down again. The small tears became fat streams flowing into the sheets below him.

"I'm sorry." he whispered, missing his parent's sweet voices. "I didn't mean to yell, Mom! I was mad and-and didn't want...I don't know. I wanted to be happy." he sobbed, hating every word he had said to her before leaving. Hating the way he thought of her and his father as he stole the key.

"Forgive me!" He whimpered and shivered. "I just want you home again."

Sleep came very slowly.

…

Izuku visited his lower neighbors the next morning. Torino had apparently left that morning for some business. He was unable to find Todoroki either, which was strange. He'd never had a difficult time with that before.

"Oh, poor kid!" Kayama hugged him closer than he was really comfortable with, but he had expected it.

"I don't know how to help ya, kid. I'm no detective. It's weird for someone's parents to go missing at the same time too." Yamada tapped his chin.

Aizawa, the black cat who had somehow known about the other world, laid on Izuku's lap. Apparently he was a stray but taken care of by the neighbors. He was a nice cat as well, having the softest fur and purring softly as he was petted.

Kayama looked to her friend, still holding onto Izuku tightly. "Don't we have some candy for anything to give him? It might make him feel better."

"I don't know about candy...but I do have something." Yamada stood up slowly and walked out of the room. He wasn't entirely sure what these people could give him to make him feel better.

Yamada returned with a strange looking stone. "I used to use Ectoplasm's shed skins for modern art, but it became a long process that I didn't have time for." He placed the stone into Izuku's hand. "It's helped me find a few things."

It was a string of wire wrapped with old lizard skins and a few shed scales on the edges. It was almost too strange to even call modern art. "Thanks." he said as he looked through the hole in the center. Nothing changed and he shrugged. Maybe he could use it as a good luck charm?

Kayama let go and looked at the cloth. "Oh! Unfortunately, we have a station to run. I hope you find your parents."

Izuku nodded before walking out of the apartment with Aizawa in his arms. He now had a plan. Well, and idea really. He would go back to the other world and play along with the other mother's games. He would find the ghost eyes and his parents. It was simple enough.

Izuku pulled on his red shoes, yellow jacket and hid the new charm in his pocket. The key went around his neck and Izuku stood in front of the small door. His hands shook and his breath came up short. The look of the other Todoroki getting strangled and his other father glaring murderously at him. He tried to shove it all away.

Aizawa bumped his head against Izuku's leg, urging him on. With a long sigh, Izuku unlocked the door and crawled inside.


	8. The Game Begins

The tunnel was no longer colorful and magic. It was cold, dark and covered in spider webs.

"Are you sure about this?" Aizawa asked in a deep voice.

Recovering from the initial shock of a talking cat, Izuku nodded. "I have no other choice. They need me."

Aizawa seemed to understand, nodding along as they crawled. Izuku sat at the end of the tunnel. He knew the door was locked, the key having stayed with him throughout the entire day. He wasn't sure what he was expecting to see. He didn't hear anything, so that should be a fair sign that the coast was clear, right?

Slowly, Izuku pushed the small door open and peeked through the crack. Nothing. He let out a relieved sigh and opened it up wider. Just as he started crawling out of the tunnel, his arm was pulled and his other mother's thorned arms stabbed into his arm. He let out a pained shout before kicking her away.

"Don't fight me, Izuku. I just want to make a deal." Her smile had lost all of it's warmth.

"A...A deal?" He gritted with a wince. Her gaunt face looked nothing like his soft and sweet mother. A flame lit in his eyes and he glared at those buttons. This monster stole his parents away.

"Yes, now if you'll calm yourself, then I can explain." She was trying to manipulate him, but he really had no other choice.

She let go once he stopped fighting. Izuku rubbed at the small punctures in his skin, sucking at the small beads of blood that came out. He glared at her again, but didn't move to attack. "What do you want?" He tried to keep the hatred out of his tone, not wanting to be shoved into that mirror room again. This time, he wouldn't have Todoroki to save him.

"I want to play a game with you. It'll be a simple game, okay?" she sat down on the log that used to be a couch. He slowly sat as well, not keeping his eyes off of her for a second. "I know why you came back, and I can't let you do that, so there is my deal. If you manage to find your parents before the time runs out, then I'll let you go free."

It sounded too easy, and he had another goal in mind as well. "I'm not just here for my parents. I'm here to free the ghost children's souls too. If I find all of them, then you let us free." He bargained.

Her smile turned wicked. "If you manage to find both your parents and those eyes, then I'll seal the tunnel and never consume another child's soul. But," Her tone gave him chills. "If you don't find the eyes and your parents, then I will keep you here with me, sew in your eyes and claim you as mine."

Izuku felt dread run through his veins, making him feel sick. "I guess we'll be trading lives then. You die if I win, I die if you win." It took everything inside of him not to run. He could back out now. Live alone, without his parents, without freeing those souls. No, he could never do that. He would die like that too. "Alright. I agree." It physically hurt.

"Oh, and one last thing, you hand over the key until time is up. I don't want any cheaters." She opened her thin, thorny hand out to him. Izuku looked form the hand to the key around his neck. He would truly be at her mercy. Nodding, he pulled it from around his neck and handed it to her. She smiled her evil smile before standing up. "Then the deal is settled."

"Wait!" He stood up, hoping it wasn't too late for negotiations. "I at least get a clue!"

"A clue? Hm...alright." She ventured back to him and covered his eyes with her cold hands. "One can only see that which is hidden, but only once their eyes have fallen out."

Once Izuku opened his eyes, she was gone. "I should've expected a riddle." He sighed and stood up. He had a lot of work to do and had no clue where to start. Deciding that it was too easy to hide all three eyes and his parents within the house, Izuku walked outside. The garden was large enough to hide something.

The sky was no longer glowing with soft lights. It was dark and cold, along with the garden. The beauty and life that had once filled the area was completely absent. He almost missed it, but couldn't let himself dwell on it. It was all fake anyway. Just a trick to get him to submit to her.

The front yard was void of whatever magic it had held before. The sky was too dark and the lights that used to float through the air were gone. He was just thankful that the air wasn't giving him chills.

Izuku walked down to the lower apartment quickly, not quite sure how much time he had but not wanting to risk it. The door creaks open and he's in the theater again. The lights are all focused on the stage, or father, the two figures on the stage. It looks like the normal Yamada and Kayama, but the teen is hesitant to approach. He doesn't know what secrets they could hold.

An idea strikes him and he goes along with it, as ridiculous as it may seem. He pulls out the charm Yamada gave him and covers his left eye. He looks through the hole in the middle and swallows the rest of the moisture in his throat. The tip of the microphone Yamada is holding glows a bright color.

It's one of the eyes. He knows it. Putting the charm away, Izuku walked toward the theater, expecting to get attacked at any time. No one moves as he climbs onto the stage and continue to hold their position as he pulls the microphone from the many hands. He jolts when they both move at once, their arms shaking away their skin to reveal black, twisted wires. They tie around Izuku's arms and legs, pulling him toward them as they scratch and claw at him.

"Thief!" They scream, more of their skin falling away, more wires exploding from their forms. Kayama lunges a him, but he manages to duck. Away. More wired attach to his limbs and a few wrap around his neck.

All at once, the wires pull and he can't breathe, can't move. Izuku gasps and kicks at the cords. The microphone is still within his clenched hand. He still has a chance.

The many pets run onto the stage, holding many different objects and look ready to attack the intruder as well. Izuku kicks 13 once they're on him, the bunny knocking it's owners away. The cords loosen and Izuku rips them from his body. Everything stops once the tip of the microphone is disconnected. The faint figures of cord and angry pets harden and stick together lick a sculpture. He's just barely able to catch his breath before he hears a voice.

The eye glows and he can see the little ghost girl's face. "Hurry and find the others! The clock is still ticking!"

The eye goes dark and he shoves it into his pocket, next to the charm. One down, two to go.

…

Izuku looks through the woods next. Looking through the charm again, he searched for anything that glowed. Just as he was about to head out for the garden, he saw a flash of light. Looking again, he saw the faint glow and slowly walked toward it. Was it...underground? He didn't have a shoved…

The ground began to shake just as he stood on top of it. He yelped and dropped the charm, looking around the grass. The grass just in front of him burst and a large beetle like figure jumped from inside. Izuku dropped to the floor from the uprooted earth and scrambled to get his charm.

Staring through the small hole once again, Izuku saw the eye within the figure's stomach. A wave of dread ran through him once he saw who the figure was.

His other father had grown an extra pair of arms, just as strong as the first two, a pair of wings and a beetle shell of some kind. His hair pointed up in a V, instead of the fluffy hair of his real father. His body loomed over the teen's, his smile having turned into a deep growl.

How was he supposed to get the eye from him? Izuku ran through the forest, trying to get as much distance between him and his other father has possible. He heard trees crash just behind him but didn't turn back to look. He already knew what was happening.

"Come here, Izuku!" the other father's voice distorting and echoing in a terrifying way. "I just want to love you!" He stretched.

Izuku was close to sobbing with fear, but couldn't allow himself to slow down. He was only running on adrenaline, his legs going numb. Just as he neared the end of the forest, the world went white and Izuku spun around and ran the opposite direction. His arm was caught in a bundle of dead tree branches, giving his other father time to grab him.

"I'm not gonna hurt ya." He spoke as he dragged Izuku back to the house, bringing any leaves on the floor with them. Izuku screamed and yelled, trying desperately to hold onto anything, He was losing time.

They passed a loose tree, ready to fall at any minute, and the green haired boy held onto it with all his strength. His leg was pulled out painfully tight but he held on. The tree's roots snapped and as his other father gave a hard yank to his leg, the tree came down.

The hand let go in time for Izuku to roll out of the way. Branches scratched at his back and arms as it fell, a few snapping off and landing around him. He didn't dare move until the sound of the tree falling faded. Was he finally safe?

Turning around, he saw the world crack into stone, just like it had at the theater. The tree stabbed his other father in the lower stomach, right where the eye should've been. Rushing over, muttering "please don't be broken, please don't be broken." as he felt along the cold surface for the eye. He felt something roll into his hand and he withdrew it, staring at the glowing orb. The wavy haired ghost's face lit the inside. "Even if you win, she'll never let you go."

The message was less encouraging than the last, but he needed to be prepared. If she refused to give him the key if he won, then he'd force his way back.

Looking back at the house, Izuku walked toward Torino's apartment. If the last two eyes weren't inside the house, who was to say this one was either?

…

The apartment was still set up for the football game, but it no longer held its excitement or light. Some of the food stands had fallen onto the floor and chips littered the area. He could hear Torino's mice squeak around him, but he tried not to pay any mind to it.

"Welcome back, Izuku!" Torino's voice was distorted too, but less so than the other father's. "Are you here to have more fun?"

"I'm here to find something, and I think you know what it is." Izuku wasn't sure how these other people worked. It seemed like each was a puppet to the other mother, but Todoroki had helped him. Surely he wasn't a puppet.

"Why would you go around looking for a silly ball when you could play with us?" The area had fallen apart, leaving Torino in the center, hunched over and shivering.

"I have to go home, Torino. I don't want to be here anymore." Maybe if Torino listened, then he could have another ally.

"I don't understand. We loved you, Izuku! We had so much fun! Why would you want to leave?"

It seemed his luck was running out. "You're not real, Torino. You're a puppet to the other mother."

"Oh? It seems you don't quite know what I am…" His voice sounded further and further away. Izuku was fairly close to him by this point but the coach still hadn't attacked.

Izuku jumped at the sound of rats rushing inside. He turned back to see the walls, floor and ceiling covered with the rodents. They all had blaring black buttons, teeth sharp and ready to tear away the teen's skin. Arms encircled him from behind, pulling at his jacket and ripping one of the pockets. The charm fell out, landing on the floor before getting covered by the rats.

"No!" Izuku shouted, trying to find the charm but the rats started to run along his legs, biting at his shoes and pants. "Get off of me!" he yelled, trying to break free of Torino's grasp.

He turned and gasped at the other Torino's face. His buttons were missing, leaving his skin empty beside four holes were the buttons were sewn in. Izuku pulled the coach's hat down, although he doubted it would do much. He was already blind.

Once the hat fell off, the eye fell as well. It landed on the floor, joining the many rats. "No! I need that!" He yelled, reaching out to grab the eye. The rats stopped running and grabbed the eye, turning their direction and carried it out the door. Izuku chased after them, trying desperately to catch up.

Most of the rats didn't survive the fall from the stairs, but the few that did grabbed the eye and continued on their chase. Izuku tipped down the stairs and groaned when he landed, his lungs sputtering and refusing air. Once he got this breath back, he got up again to run but the rats were gone.

Before he could panic, Aizawa lept from within a bush, carrying a rat in his teeth. He spat it out and looked up at Izuku. "Beside the stereotype, most cats actually don't like rats. They're filthy, but this one looked like you needed it." He rolled the eye toward the boy with his paw. Izuku could hug that cat forever, but he doubted he would appreciate it.

Picking up the eye, he watched the last ghost flash into sight.  
"Hurry! Find your parents and leave! It's dangerous to stay here for so long!"

With a nod, Izuku looked back toward the house. He would have to find them without the charm's help. The sky went dark and he turned in time to see the moon shift into the shape of a button. The edges of the forest began to peel away like an orange. Izuku grabbed Aizawa, and ran to the front door. He made it in just as the world started falling apart.


	9. Escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's my sister's birthday, so I posted this chapter a little early.

The other mother was sitting on the log couch when Izuku returned. It looked like she had just finished a cup of warm tea. She didn't bother looking at him as he walked in, simply setting down her cup and rolling the key over in her hand. Izuku held Aizawa closer, needing the courage for his encounter with her.

The time was up. He knew that. He still hadn't found his parents, making him the loser of this game. "I see you've made friends with that little pest." Her voice was more hollow, similar to the puppets he had fought for the ghost eyes. Her hair was made of dark green vines, a few thorns poking from the edges. Her fingers were made of long twigs, although small and thin, he doubted they would break.

"I brought my friend." Izukus stated, keeping his arms protective around the cat's black body.

"How did you do, little one?" She stood up slowly, her small stature doing nothing to make her look less intimidating. "Did you find them all?"

Hesitantly, Izuku held out his hands, showing the three eyes. He pulled his hand back before she could snatched them away. He expected her to cheat. "I have a question before we continue." he slipped the eyes into his jacket pocket. "What did you do with Todoroki?" He knew his friend was likely dead, but there was still a chance. Maybe she had spared him.

"I don't know why you find that useless boy so interesting." She drawled as she walked toward the hall closet, opening it, she smiled at him. "Come see for yourself."

Izuku slowly walked over, trying to prepare himself for whatever he may see. She could easily gain an advantage while he looked away as well, so he had to be ready to run.

Looking inside of the closet, Izuku saw a pile of sand and what used to be Todoroki's clothes on the floor. Two buttons, one black and the other blue, laid on top of the sand. He knew it. Todoroki was gone.

"Now that you know about him, I have a question of my own." She reached out to caress his face, but Izuku stepped back. She didn't seem surprised by his actions. "Did you find your real parents?"

He swallowed audibly before shaking his head. "No" He whispered.

She smirked and walked back to the living room. He followed, trying to formulate a plan of escape. Turning toward him, she held up the key, but didn't gesture for him to take it. Was she taunting him? "I will give you one last chance. You get one guess as to where I have hidden them. If you guess wrong, you lose."

He was surprised by her offer. He had expected her to jump at his loss, sewing the buttons the second he admitted his own defeat. "Just one guess?" He wasn't asking for more then one, just clarification.

"Just one." She said back. "So, where are they? What will be your guess?"

He looked around the room, her fingers counting down slowly. He tried to not let the tension over take his rational mind. Then, he saw them. In his mother's favorite snowglobe. The miniature versions of his parents waving and shivering. They looked so cold and miserable.

Turning back toward the other mother, he pointed toward the small door. "There. My parents are behind that door." Aizawa shot him a worried look, but Izuku had a plan. She likely wouldn't let him leave, even if he did guess right. She would keep the key to herself and take his soul. He just needed her to open it, then he could make a run for it. He hoped it would work.

The other mother clicked her tongue and slowly moved toward the door. "You're wrong, little Izuku." She sang. The door creaked open, revealing the dark tunnel. "You lost. Now, I get to keep you." She stood up, grabbing the needle and spoon that had been resting on the coffee table.

As she got closer, Izuku had an idea. It was just ridiculous as the last. "I'll never stay here!" He shouted and threw Aizawa at her head. The cat landed on target, scratching and clawing at the other mother. While she was distracted, he grabbed the snow globe and edged toward the door. He was just a step away when the ceiling fell, turning into long thick vines. The floor clouded and foggy. It was hard to see through the green plant-turned furniture.

Aizawa landed on one of the chairs as the other mother's button eyes fell onto the floor. "You little brat!" She shouted and rubbed at the place her buttons had been. "I'll kill you!" She pulled on a vine and Izuku felt the long green roped around him turn and twist. They wrapped around his legs, tightening the harder she pulled.

A plant from underneath him bit at his leg, making him shout in pain. He was still so close. The key had been left on the floor, and if he wanted to keep the other mother away, he had to lock the door. She wondered closer to him, gripping more vines as she went. The floor under him started to pull him down like mud. The more he moved the further he went.

When the other mother was close enough, Izuku pulled his foot out of the mud, his shoe covered with brown muck, and kicked her back. She shouted and fell, scrambling to keep herself from falling over. He was now able to grab the key, hanging it back around his neck, and made for the small door again.

Just as he struggled to pull his foot out of the mud, he heard her crawling back to him, pulling one of the vines, harder this time. He was pulled into the air, a few more wrapping around him. He could see a giant flower above him, sharp teeth rotating in circles. The teeth cut at a few vines, weakening them enough for Izuku to pull them away. He fell back into the mud, his entire front side getting soaked.

He made it to the small door, looking for Aizawa before he could close the door. The cat jumped from chair to chair until he was safe in Izuku's lap. He slammed the door just as his other mother got to him. He caught her wooden hand in the crack, trying to twist it and snap it off.

The door closed with a jolt and the hand came loose, falling into his lap. He was allowed a moment to breathe.

That moment didn't last long. He could hear the other mother screaming and yelling as he hurried to crawl through the tunnel. The sides knocked him off of his hands and knees, making his progress slower. He was so close. The door behind him came closer with every yell. Once outside the tunnel, Izuku slammed the door closed, given just enough time to lock it.

Sighing in relief, Izuku stepped away from the door. It was over. He won. Aizawa meowed next to him before running off. So much for keeping him around.

"Izuku?" His real mother shouted.

"Mom!" He shouted, too excited to care about the mud or his dirty shoes. He missed them so very much. It felt like years since he last saw them. He was crying by the time he saw her. Her soft features, her confused smile. He ran to her ins seconds, hugging her as tightly as he dared. "Mom!" He gasped again.

"Woah! What happened to you?!" his real father exclaimed, rubbing some mud off of his cheek. Izuku writched his embrace to his father. He missed his dad's fluffy, unruly hair. He missed his silly jokes and unreal proportions.

"I missed you guys so much!" The reminder of their argument that seemed decades made his tears heavier. "I'm sorry, mom!" He sobbed.

"Oh, Izuku. Thank you for apologizing. I'm sorry too." she kissed is head and pulled him toward the upstairs bathroom. "Toshi, could you put my groceries away? I think I left them on the table."

Izuku didn't care to warn his father about the rotten groceries. He would find out soon enough. He just wanted to get this entire experience out of his head. He never wanted to remember the other world again.

After a long hot bath and his father's signature hot chocolate, Izuku was calm and happy. He washed his jacket, making sure to hide the eyes and key. He went to sleep in peace, having slipped the eyes under his pillow, now quite sure how to officially set the ghosts free.

He dreamed about them. Each child's body was golden and their expressions changed as they talked. They were thankfully less transparent than they were before. "Thank you for freeing us, Izuku." The first ghost smiled. It was a nice look for him. His grandmother hugged him from behind, her hair half up like his own mother's. She had a bright smile that reflected her grandson's. "My name is Tomura. I remembered it after you freed me. The other mother must have taken my memory of it."

The little girl smiled brightly, hopping slightly. "Me too! My parents used to call me Little Toggie! Isn't that cute?" Her smile defined her slightly sharper than normal kanines. Her joy made Izuku feel better about the whole situation.

"You know my brother." The third said, his smile reminded him of someone…" I'm Touya Todoroki, Shoto's brother. You must be a good friend to him." Izuku almost forgot about Todoroki's story. This was the brother that suddenly disappeared.

"It's great to finally see you three happy. I can't believe how crazy this had been."

The first ghost -Tomura- nodded. "Now that you destroyed the key, you can be free from the witch too." Izuku paused at that. Tomura's smile fell. "You didn't destroy the key?!"

"But the door's locked! She can't get out!" He tried to argue.

"Izuku! That small door is the only thing keeping you and your family safe! There is only one key, and as long as it continues to exist, she will find it again."

He had a point. Izuku started to shiver, the images of the angel-turned-ghosts becoming blurry. "How do I destroy it?"

"Melt it, bury it, break it! Anything to render it useless." The other angels began to nod and comment urgently.

The images faded away and Izuku woke up. He looked underneath his pillow, to find the eyes broken. Although he would typically feel anxious, scared at their warnings, he was still glad they had been freed.


	10. Peace At Last

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it, fellas! The last chapter! Thanks for reading this story, all of you!!

Izuku tried to bend the key in half, but only ended up hurting his fingers. He tried to get it to melt in one of his mother's hottest pans, but the stove wouldn't go high enough. Finally, Izuku decided it was time to find somewhere to bury it.

Picking up one of the rags his mother used for the dishes, Izuku snuck out of the house in the middle of the night. He raced to the grove of trees, looking for a good spot to bury it. He had brought a small hand shovel to avoid getting his hands too dirty. He had to find somewhere that the other mother could never get to. Would never think of looking.

Thinking a while longer, Izuku nodded, finally having a place in mind. He ran to the other side of the forest, the clearing ending near the back porch of the brown house. In the other world, there was no brown house. The other mother either didn't know about it or didn't care enough to include it. That meant it was insignificant. He had also never gone to this house before, which gave it the secrecy he needed.

Just as he was about to start digging, Izuku felt needle-like pricks along his skin, like a giant spider crawling up his back. When he reached back to slam whatever it was away, it crawled onto his face and pulled at the key that still hung around his neck.

It was the other mother's hand. The one he had broken off while shutting the door. It had somehow followed him and it now pulled him back toward the trees. He choked at the chain against his neck, trying to ease the pressure but the hand was stronger than he thought possible.

Izuku was too focused on trying to clear his airway to hear the crunching of footsteps. Just when he thought the hand would successfully suffocate him, it stopped. The pressure lessened and he was able to breathe. Not only that, but the key fell back to the floor, allowing the teen to stand up. Once he looked around, he saw his rescuer holding a rock to the hand, crushing it into the ground.

Todoroki's face was more amazed than shocked, a far different look than his usual neutral stare. He only let go once he was sure that the hand wouldn't move. He sat back and covered his unscared eye with his hand. "Midoriya…" He whispered before looking up at the boy he was talking to. "That key. I remember it."

Holding it up, Izuku tilted his head to the side. "It goes to the small door. The one in the living room." He explained.

Todoroki nodded. "Midoriya, talking to you must have reminded me of my missing brother. I remember going through a door and seeing our mother, but different. I only went once and the visit was short, but I can't mistake it. Was...did that have anything to do with that doll?"

"Yes!" Izuku didn't mean to shout so loudly, but he was relieved to have someone real believe him. "The doll is the other mother's spy! She used it to take my parents and see what was wrong in my life. Your brother must have had one too. I just collected his eye, so he's free now." He gave a bit too much information then needed, but he mostly muttered it anyway.

"I...see." Todoroki stood up and kicked the hand. "I'll help you bury it. The key. That's why you're out here, right?"

"I-um-yes. I came out here to bury it." Was he really going to bury this key with an almost stranger? It was a weird thing to do, but he doubted it was much weirder than the rest of his life had been this past week.

They worked together to dig a hole deep enough to avoid anyone accidentally finding it. They buried the key with the broken bits of the hand, wrapped together in the rag. It was a perfect hiding spot. Once they had finished, Todoroki ran off again. Izuku smiled, grateful to have such a good friend.

…

They had a gardening party once spring hit. It had been Dad's idea, to take out all of the dead plants and make their garden look nice. Izuku suggested inviting the neighbors. When his parents were unsure of the sanity their neighbors had, he assured them that it was just their unique personalities.

Hazashi and Kayama provided music to their party and a few extra helpers. Apparently, their already strange group of pets enjoyed digging. They seemed to get along well with Mom and Dad, congratulating Izuku on finding them, which only made everyone but the boy confused. Izuku had apologized for losing Yamada's charm, but he waved it off saying, "It's to be expected from a kid so active. Who ever finds it will have a butt-load of fun, then."

Torino was well accepted into their group of strangers as well. He didn't bring any rats, much to everyone's relief, but he did bring a surprising amount of gardening tools. He said, "once I got the invitation, I started looking for my old gloved and I guess I had a few extra tools as well. I brought some Taiyaki to share, because every party needs some sweets." He gave Izuku a wink before heading out to the garden.

Izuku had just finished passing around a cup of lemonade to everyone helping when Todoroki came through the back gate. He gave a proud smile as he introduced his sick mother, who looked as though she hadn't left her house in years. She smiled brightly before taking up a pair of gloves and getting to work.

Torodoki's brother, Natsuo, seemed excited to have a gardening party, carrying big bags of pre potted flowers and a few extra lemonade packets. He had obviously put on sunscreen before coming, a few white smudges still visible on his face. His hair was white with a few red streaks that made Izuku wonder about their family genetics.

The oldest sister of the family smiled brightly. She talked freely, adjusting her glasses a few times. She became a big help in pulling a few tricky dead plants and apparently worked at the nearby school as a younger grade teacher. She talked to Dad the entire time about teaching methods and even gave him a few tips.

Todoroki held a peaceful smile on his face. He was a hard worker and one of the quietest in his family, but he showed an interest in comic book heroes, something Izuku quite enjoyed himself. He offered to share his note books of research on the subject once the party was over, to which he agreed happily.

Over all, Izuku thought he could learn to enjoy living in this area.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for those who enjoyed this story! I know I loved writing it. If anyone has questions about this story or any other stories of mine, don't be afraid to ask! https://discord.gg/dfju5m

**Author's Note:**

> Go check out any other stories of mine and/or leave a comment! All is welcome here!


End file.
